8/15/2022 • Desk of Dennis Piller
The Rapture vs. The Return
Part I of II
Our curriculum for our Courageous Men's Group this semester is "Going Deeper" utilizing many live speakers.
We begin our next season on Aug. 25th on our new night – THURSDAY. 7PM
I hope if you are in the area you can join us.
I read this piece this morning and thought, I have believed this for years but it was so clearly laid out, that I felt led to share it. I know this is a ticklish subject that is often misunderstood. But let's take a bite of the truth. Whatever your position, we are called to Live for Christ Now! I pray you are intentional in your walk to serve our Father God and your fruit bears that out.
One of the major critiques of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is that it teaches two Second Comings of Christ—a Rapture before the Tribulation
and a Return at the end of the Tribulation.
Post-Tribulationists, who place the Rapture and return at the end of the Tribulation, strongly object to the notion that the Rapture of the church and the return of Christ to earth are two stages or phases of one event, separated by at least seven years. They contend that this actually teaches two future comings of Christ, while the Bible only presents one event.
Of course, the same issue can be leveled against the mid-trib or pre-wrath views, though the seven-year timeline is compressed. The issue at hand is whether the Second Coming of Jesus will occur in one event or whether are there two stages to this one event—the Rapture (stage one) and the Return (stage two).
So is that a valid view of Scripture? Could the Rapture and the Return be two stages of a single event? Let’s examine the evidence.
Biblical Precedent for Multi-Stage Events
There is biblical precedent for one event to unfold in several stages. For instance, there were three phases to the Babylonian Captivity of Judah: 605 B.C., 597 and 586. Each is called the Captivity, but they are multiple stages of one event.
It’s important to remember that there were also multiple aspects or phases of Christ’s first coming: His birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension. His spirit left His body after the death and returned at the time of His resurrection (Luke 23:46). This is not considered a separate “coming,” even though those events were separated by three days.
All of these events are part of the first coming.
These aspects of Christ’s ministry were separated by periods of time.
In the same way, we believe there are two aspects of the Lord’s Second Coming: the Rapture, which takes place in the air, and the Return, which begins in the air but ends up with a return to earth.
Likewise, the “Day of the Lord” is an extended event that will unfold over the entire seven years of the Tribulation period. Viewing the Lord’s coming or "parousia" in an extended sense is consistent with how we understand the Day of the Lord.
The pattern of a two-stage or two-phase coming of Christ is duplicated in the future kingdom of God, which also unfolds in two stages. Phase One is the Millennial (thousand-year), Messianic, earthly kingdom of Jesus described in Revelation 20:1-6. Phase Two is the eternal kingdom in the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1-22:5).
These are not two different kingdoms. They are closely connected, but they are two stages of the one, glorious kingdom of God. Similarly, the Rapture is the first, initial stage followed by the Return of Jesus at least seven years later. They are not two different comings any more than there will be two Days of the Lord or two future kingdoms. They’re a single event, separated into two stages.
Variations Between the Rapture and the Return
The significant dissimilarity between the two phases of Christ’s coming (the Rapture and the Return) marks them as distinct.
There are three main Rapture passages in the New Testament (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Some of the principal Second Coming passages are Zechariah 14:1-21; Matthew 24:29-31; Mark 13:24-27; Luke 21:25-27; and Revelation 19:11-21. The differences between these two groups of passages are striking. They are so striking that they point to two separate contexts.
Certainly, there are similarities between the Rapture and the Return. Both events mention a “coming,” and both mention clouds, symbolizing a heavenly role in both. Yet other differences demonstrate that these are two distinct stages of the coming. Here are ten of the most significant differences between the Rapture and the Return as they are described in Scripture.
One: A difference in the SIGNS given for each stage
Rapture: There are no signs that must take place before the Rapture. It can happen at any moment. It’s a signless event. None of the Rapture passages contain any mention of preceding signs. Believers are enjoined to be constantly looking for the rapture and “waiting up” for it (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
Return: But detailed signs must take place before the Return of Christ to earth (Matthew 24:4-28). Logically, the same event cannot be both signless and yet portended by numerous signs. This is clearly contradictory. The simplest harmonization of these two different events supports a Pre-Tribulational Rapture (which is signless and could happen at any moment), while the many events taking place during the Tribulation are best understood as signs leading up to the Return.
The point is, we need to be ready regardless of what Trib position you believe in. It is not my desire to enter into a debate over this because Jesus calls us to live for him on this earth. To walk in Spirit and Truth
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
FACT: Jesus is coming. FACT: He can come at any moment.
Live looking!
Tomorrow Part II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pI2sYS3ov0w&list=RDMM&index=2
Tremble Lauren Daigle
The article was written by Mark Hitchcock of Jimmy Evans Ministry
